The Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau has hit the ground running for the new financial year, already securing bids to host six Brisbane Conventions, worth an estimated $1.4 million.
The flying start follows a bumper 2013/14 financial year for the Bureau which worked in partnership with the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre to net more than $76 million in conference activity.
The recently secured conferences are the 14th National Solace Conference 2015, the 2017 Rotomould Conference, Hazards Australasia Conference 2015, Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) QLD Branch Annual State Conference 2016, Highlands Senior Executive Forum 2015 and the 8th International Conference on Population Geographies 2015.
So far this calendar year Brisbane has welcomed several large-scale business conferences, including theEduTECH National Congress & Exhibition 2014 with 5270 delegates and an estimated economic benefit to the city of $8.6 million, The Asia Pacific Association for the Study of Liver 2014 with 3000 delegates worth $7.5 million and the World Congress of Audiology 2014 with 1700 delegates and a $4.7 million economic injection into the city.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he expected the business events momentum to continue on the upward swing for Brisbane as the city gears up to welcome as estimated 7000 visitors for the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit in November.
He said Brisbane’s suitability as a business events hub has grown rapidly alongside its infrastructure to improve accessibility, transport, venues and accommodation, cultural, business and research precincts.
“The 2014 G20 Leaders Summit will only help to reaffirm Brisbane’s attractiveness as a business events hub,” Cr Quirk said.
“Brisbane is reinforced by powerful industry and has the facilities, infrastructure and accessibility to support major national and international conferences with ease.
“We expect delegates attending business events in Brisbane will return to their home countries and spread the word about Australia’s new world city of Brisbane and its offerings.”
John Aitken, CEO of Brisbane’s economic development board, Brisbane Marketing, said aside from the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit, there were several other notable conferences on the Brisbane events calendar for 2014.
“In August Brisbane will host The 17th World Congress of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA 2014) at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, which is expected to attract 1500 delegates and $6.4 million to the city,” Mr Aitken said.
“Next on the agenda for August is the 29th International Horticultural Congress at the same venue, with 3000 delegates expected and a projected $11 million economic benefit to Brisbane.”